


Expectations

by Adarian



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Such utter fluff, You're Welcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2016-06-09
Packaged: 2018-07-14 01:08:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7145882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adarian/pseuds/Adarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite his love's natural paternal instincts, Dorian does not think he is capable of being a good parent. Morrigan intervenes, sharing about her own childhood and reassuring him that he will be a better father than his was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Expectations

Dorian had never been expected to have children. Offspring, certainly, heirs and continuers of his precious bloodline. But never to have something small and delicate depend on his love and protection. Dorian was not the fatherly type. He could barely keep plants alive and he had literal magic at his aid for that. He was clearly not a man who was meant to have children.

And yet...

It was almost painful watching Trevelyan with the gaggle of refugee mage children. Despite all his duties as Inquisitor, he missed most being a teacher at the Circle. These children had hundreds of mentors for their magical talents, so he taught them his most beloved skill: gardening. The garden had flourished so much under Trevelyan's talents and these children, many who had spent almost their entire lives on the run, loved being able to eat fresh fruit and watch their first flowers grow. It was an absolutely idyllic scene and it was breaking Dorian's heart.

Trevelyan had always wanted children. He had made no secret of that, even when they first got together. It was something Dorian ignored, figuring their affair would be over long before he had to worry about it. But here they were, in love and inseparable, and with the war over...maybe it was a good time to settle down and have a child. The thought made Dorian sick, but he could not say no to him. Not out of mere loyalty to Trevelyan, but because he wished he could say yes. He wanted to be a man who knew with great certainty that he would be a good father. Trevelyan clearly was. He loved children and he was kind, sensitive, and so utterly nurturing. It was just Dorian holding him back and it was breaking Dorian's heart.

Dorian had been sitting alone to this point when the arcane advisor sat beside him. He had only spoken to Morrigan a handful of times and with little he did know of her nature, was surprised that she had made a conscious effort to speak to another. 

"I think I can guess your thoughts," Morrigan said, smiling almost conspiratorially. 

"Yes, I do think the Avvar will be an excellent resource in the fight against the corruption of Tevinter and that I really need to send the Archon a birthday present for his cat."

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "I came to offer comfort, but I can see I have chosen poorly. I will let my wife know that I tried."

"You're married? To...a woman?" Dorian asked in surprise.

"You have seen me turn into a dragon, Tevene, and that is what surprises you?"

"Fair enough," Dorian said sheepishly. "Why did your wife ask you to speak to me?"

"Let us say that she and your man have become quite close. I believe the word she used was "pen pals" but that seems quite silly for an alliance between the Hero of Ferelden and the Inquisitor, I think."

"Warden Amell?"

Morrigan smiled. "Yes, we have been married for nearly nine years now."

"But you have a son."

"Yes, we have a son."

Dorian felt frustrated. "If this is Alquin's strange way of telling me that it's okay for two people of the same sex to have children, then you may go. That is not what is making me hesitate and I do not need some stranger providing me some inspirational tale."

"That is not why," Morrigan reassured. "It is because you and I have more in common than you might think. I...I know of your father."

"It is no secret," Dorian said, bristling.

"My mother...was not a good woman," Morrigan said quietly. "She was cruel and harsh. I thought it what love was like and it made my heart hard to it. I have distanced myself from her, to protect both me and my son. But when I carried Kieran, I thought I would be like her. I was sure I would be like her, even as much as I swore to myself that I would never treat him as she did me. And I didn't. I loved him the moment I held him and I have done everything in my power to give him a good and happy life."

Morrigan hesitated and put her hand on his. "We are not our parents, Dorian."

Dorian murmured, "My father never thought I was good enough...he was willing to kill me in order to make me the man he wanted. I appreciate what you are trying to say, but perhaps it is a little different."

"My mother viewed me as a tool and nothing more," Morrigan said. "A means to an end and she made that clear. When I was of no use to her, she would have discarded me easily and started anew. But your child will be loved, will be raised in love. From the little I have known you, Dorian, you have proven yourself to be an honorable man and one quite capable of compassion. You will not be like your father, as I was not my mother. If you have the chance for love...you should take it. I was nearly too late to know that. Do not make my mistakes."

Dorian realized a tear was rolling down his face and he quickly wiped it away. "Thank you...please, I'd like to be alone with my thoughts for a time. Tell your wife that you did well."

Morrigan chuckled. "She will be proud that I managed be open about my feelings. Apparently I do not share them enough. I imagine you are the same?"

Dorian smiled weakly and nodded. "Funny how that is."

Morrigan left him and Dorian eventually got up and walked towards his room. He then paused and went towards Cullen's office. They spent the afternoon at the chessboard, Cullen kind enough not to press on whatever was bothering him.

***

Dorian waited for Trevelyan in the Inquisitor's chambers. By the time his love finally came upstairs, Dorian was practically shaking with nervousness.

Trevelyan smiled at him, kissing him deeply before dropping off his papers at his desk. There was still dirt under his nail beds but Dorian said nothing, as he normally would do.

"Did you have a good day, love?" Trevelyan asked. "Cullen mentioned you had a marathon session of chess today and you actually won one legitimately."

"Let's have a baby," Dorian blurted out.

Trevelyan raised his eyebrows in shock. "What?"

Dorian took his hands in his. "I know you want children and I'm scared, but I'm less scared with you. You'll help me and I'll learn as we go. So let's have a baby. However you want to have one. If you want a woman to carry yours or if you want to adopt, it doesn't matter to me, just that you're happy."

Trevelyan kissed him hard and they tumbled into bed together. Between heated kisses, Trevelyan whispered, "Are you sure?"

Dorian groaned, "Yes."

Trevelyan smiled against his skin. "Then we'll talk about that in the morning. Tonight, we celebrate."

***

Two months later, Trevelyan returned with a strange bump in his winter gear. Dorian ran out across the courtyard to meet him. Once he neared him, he heard a little gurgle.

Trevelyan pulled back his robe to reveal the infant bound to his chest, a tiny little thing that had to be just about a half year old. They opened their big green eyes and Dorian's heart melted. The child babbled slightly and Dorian already longed to hold it. Trevelyan smiled nervously at him. 

"Her name is Daisy," he said. "She was abandoned at the new Chantry at Haven. I was just checking it out to make sure construction was going well and one of the Sisters was holding her and she was crying. So I picked her up and...well, I knew."

Dorian started crying and the Inquisitor did too, holding him close, the baby in between them. Dorian kissed her soft little head before kissing his love.

"You don't have any parenting books in your library," Dorian protested. "You'll need to fix that, immediately."

"I'll put out a requisition order tonight," he promised.

"And for a crib and everything else a baby might need. Really, it's irresponsible for you not to plan ahead for our daughter."

"That's just like me," Trevelyan sighed dramatically. "Reckless."

Daisy babbled more, curling her hand around her blankets.

"Let's get inside," Dorian said.

Once they were in the Keep, Dorian picked her up and cradled her close to his chest. She cooed happily, gripping into his clothes. Utter joy swept across his chest. He had just met the little thing and he already loved her. He couldn't imagine watching her grow up and becoming her own little person and how much he would love her. It was almost overwhelming, but it felt so natural. 

In the weeks that followed, he showed her off incessantly and carried her practically everywhere, doting on her every need. Even once she had her own crib, Dorian often still napped with her on his chest or in the crook of his arm. 

Dorian had never expected to have a child, but he was so very glad he did.

**Author's Note:**

> There was a kink-meme prompt that proposed the two of them chat like this and I actually thought back to a conversation I had with a friend that was like this too. The dysfunctional childhood does not equal dysfunctional parenting chat is very important.


End file.
